A team of nine members from Nagaland headed by director of Industries and Commerce P Tokugha Sema participated in the prestigious ViennaUP 2025 startup festival in Vienna, Austria from May 8 to 16.

A press release informed that the key highlight of the visit was Sema’s participation as a panel speaker at the Tech Job Fair on May 15, where he shared insights on the importance of cultural understanding in facilitating successful technology and innovation partnerships between India and Austria. He highlighted steps that can be taken to bridge any potential cultural gaps, and also suggested concrete steps that businesses can take to actively explore and capitalize on the opportunities with northeast region under the India-Austria tech partnership.

During the week-long event, the team engaged with international startups, investors, accelerators, and innovation hubs, representing Nagaland’s growing startup ecosystem and promoting the state as an emerging destination for innovation and entrepreneurship.

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The Nagaland delegation also took part in the exhibition segment of ViennaUP 2025, showcasing a curated selection of indigenous products from Nagaland, alongside innovative solutions developed by the startups from the state. The exhibition is stated to have garnered considerable interest from Austrian stakeholders and international participants, creating valuable opportunities for cross-border collaboration, business partnerships, and potential market expansion for Nagaland-based enterprises.

ViennaUP is Europe’s leading startup festival that brings together entrepreneurs, tech pioneers, and key ecosystem players from across the globe to exchange ideas, network, and build partnerships.

Earlier, the team from Nagaland were also invited to a grand reception at the Indian Embassy in Vienna on May 13 where Sema expressed gratitude to the embassy officials and international delegations who attended, emphasizing the importance of global collaboration in driving innovation.

The state delegation comprised officials from the department of Industries and Commerce, Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), incubators, and startup representatives. The visit was aimed to foster international collaboration, explore investment opportunities, and gain exposure to global best practices in the startup ecosystem, the release added.